Military in Thailand Finally admit Shooting.
The Thai miltary has admitted yesterday, that some of its soldiers fired live rounds at red shirt demonstrators but they are now saying, that it was only to provide cover, for injured soldiers who were retreating, a spokesperson for the Government's Centre for Public Administration in Emergency Situations is claiming.
Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd tried to maintain yestersday that they had no choice, after the Army attacked the protesters but to open fire at gunmen hiding among demonstrators, to protect their comrades from more atrocities. He claimed to have soldiers ready to testify to a committee purportedly investigating the atrocity, similar to the Widgery tribunal after Bloody Sunday in occupied Ireland. Widgery's report was later discredited internationally as a whitewash by the British Government and another inquiry which cost almost 300 million dollars set up under a failing peace process, still cannot be published 38 years later because of "security concerns".
The Thai Government, headed by a British born Eton educated, unelected Prime Minister, yesterday released the statement, as public anger grows over the use of violence by government forces during the April 10 atrocity on Black Saturday in Bangkok, Thailand. Video footage, including news coverage by foreign media outlets, show pictures of soldiers firing automatic gunfire, directly into the protesters.
http://www.france24.com/en/20100411-excl
http://siamreport.blogspot.com/2010/04/s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHNrn9btD
Col Sansern maintained at a news conference yesterday soldiers fired only live rounds for two reasons. They fired into the air to intimidate demonstrators he said and to protect injured soldiers from the advancing crowd. He tried to maintain they fired only one bullet at a time and that they did not switch to automatic gunfire so as to avoid causing more casualties, he maintained.
The Government's spin doctors, showed reporters five video clips of Saturday's atrocity. Just one of the clips showed soldiers firing at demonstrators. In another clip, a red shirt demonstrator was shot in the head from behind, which according to the Government meant the man was not shot by a soldier.
Other clips show protesters saying they saw a civilian wearing a blue shirt firing an explosive from a rooftop, another protester asks, "Has Seh Daeng come to help us?" with footage of protesters attacking a vehicle apparently carrying the injured soldiers to hospital.
Col Sansern said judging from the five video clips he believed protest leaders were aware there was an armed group among the demonstrators. Khattiya, a rebel army specialist who supports the Reds said, "Ronin warriors" fired weapons at soldiers only after the military attacked and fired M16 rifles at demonstrators first.
He said he believed those firing M16 rifles were army snipers. They fired from the rooftops of buildings in the area. "Ronin warriors", were set up by the Red movement, after the 2006 coup, when they were trained by Seh Daeng.
Bangkok Emergency Medical Service's confirmed yesterday that there were two more deaths from the Black Saturday Atrocity increasing the number of deaths to 23. The latest victims are Pvt Anupol Hommalee, 29, and Napaton Paopanas. Pvt Anupol died of shrapnel wounds to his head, while Napaton died from a gunshot wound to his stomach. They also reported 195 injured civilians and soldiers who are still in hospital, 14 of whom are in a serious condition.
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